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This Is the Kit

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This Is the Kit
File:This Is The Kit.jpg
Background information
OriginWinchester, England (via Bristol, England)
GenresAlternative rock
Folk rock
Years active2003-present
LabelsRough Trade Records
Brassland
Dreamboat Records
Microbe
No Need Water
Sunday Best Recordings
MembersKate Stables - lead vocals, banjo, guitar
Rozi Plain - bass guitar, backing vocals
Neil Smith - lead guitar
Jamie Whitby-Coles - drums, backing vocals
Websitethisisthekit.co.uk

This Is the Kit is the alias of British musician Kate Stables, who is based in Bristol and Paris.

Critical attention

The band's most high profile media moment to date occurred in August 2015, when BBC iPlayer debuted an episode of the documentary series Music Box devoted to This Is The Kit's music and influences.[1] The show was hosted by Guy Garvey, who argued that their second album "Wriggle Out the Restless" deserved a Mercury Prize nomination.[2]

Previous to the BBC documentary, This Is The Kit were a long-time favourite among various BBC Radio 6 Music DJs, which is where Garvey discovered them, playing their music frequently. Fellow 6 Music DJs Lauren Laverne, Radcliffe & Maconie, Cerys Matthews, and Mary Anne Hobbs have also been major supporters; DJ Marc Riley has hosted the band for three BBC live sessions to date.[3] BBC Radio 1 has offered the band spot plays via DJs Huw Stephens, Jen & Ally, and Phil Taggart.

As the band prepared to release their third album "Bashed Out" in late 2014 and early 2015, they began to receive more attention from online and print critics. Uncut, Drowned in Sound, The Line of Best Fit and The 405 awarded the album 8/10 ratings. The Mancunion rated a live show a 9/10.[4] Finally, the American blog Stereogum wrote that "Kate Stables has been recording music as This Is The Kit for years now, but this is probably one of the first times you’re reading about her. "Bashed Out" will be her third full-length album, and…it will also likely be her breakout."[5]

Recording history

In 2006, record label Sunday Best Recordings included the band's song "Two Wooden Spoons" in its Folk Off compilation album alongside artists including Animal Collective, Tunng and Vashti Bunyan. Their song was noted as a standout with Drowned in Sound stating: "its personal touch is largely what makes This Is The Kit the British highlight, not to mention that of the compilation as a whole".[6] Following that, Sunday Best went on to release "Two Wooden Spoons" as a 7" single with the B side "Come a Cropper" in 2006.[7]

This Is The Kit's first album, 2008's Krulle Bol[8] was produced in Bristol by John Parish, a musician best known as PJ Harvey's longtime producer. The album's title possibly originated from a Dutch term denoting a person with curly hair, lit. translation 'curly noggin'. It was originally released on the French label Microbe but has since been reissued on the band's own imprint.

The band's second album, Wriggle Out the Restless, was originally released by Dreamboat Records in 2010 and later reissued by the band's own Disco-ordination Records. In 2013 distribution began migrating to Brassland Records.[9] The recording sessions drew on the talents of the Stables' extended musical community including Rozi Plain, Jim Barr (bass player from Portishead), Francois & the Atlas Mountains and The Liftmen. The album was produced by longtime collaborator and partner Jesse D. Vernon.

In 2014, the band began work on their third studio LP "Bashed Out" with Aaron Dessner of The National.[10] The band's usual members contributed to the recording as did studio musicians recruited by Aaron Dessner, including his brother Bryce Dessner, Benjamin Lanz (Beirut, Sufjan Stevens), Thomas Bartlett (Doveman, The Gloaming) and Matt Barrick (The Walkmen) amongst others. Brassland released the album in 6/7 April 2015. It has received attention as the band's "breakthrough" recording, and as one of the best British recordings of 2015.

July 2017 brought the release of the band's fourth LP Moonshine Freeze. The record was well received and chosen as the Rough Trade Album Of The Month for July.[11]

Touring members

This Is the Kit perform regularly in various configurations from duo to quintet with the core band consisting Kate Stables (vocals / guitar / banjo), Rozi Plain (bass / vocals) Neil Smith (guitar) Jamie Whitby-Coles (drums)

Since 2010, the band have recorded a Blogothèque Take-Away Show[12] video session and been played regularly on BBC Radio 6 Music.[13] The band have been touring regularly and supporting such acts as The National,[14] Sharon Van Etten, Iron & Wine and Herman Dune.

Discography

Albums

Singles

See also

References

  1. ^ Garvey, Guy. "From PJ Harvey to This Is The Kit". Guy Garvey's Music Box. BBC. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  2. ^ "This is the Kit". Latitude. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  3. ^ "This Is The Kit session for Marc Riley on 6 Music". Viaduct promotions. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  4. ^ Evans, Jacob. "Live: This Is The Kit". The Mancunion. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  5. ^ White, Caitlin. "This Is The Kit – Bashed Out (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum. Stereogum.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  6. ^ Marwood, Ben. "Folk-Off Review". Drowned In Sound. drowned in sound. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  7. ^ "This is the Kit". Artist Trove. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  8. ^ Fazi, Melanie. "Krulle Bol review". Le Cargo. Le Cargo. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  9. ^ Bemis, Alec. "Brassland". Brassland. Brassland. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  10. ^ "Brassland - News". www.brassland.org.
  11. ^ "Rough Trade Album Of The Month July 2017: This Is The Kit "Moonshine Freeze"/Live At The Old Dentists, 15 July 2017". BlackCountryRock. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  12. ^ Clos, François. "Blogotheque". Blogotheque. Blogotheque. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  13. ^ Riley, Marc. "BBC6music". BBC6Music. BBC. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  14. ^ Els. "ATP review". Drowned In Sound. Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
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